


The Tide Gone Out, the Bones left Behind

by Pleasedial123



Series: Dark Waters [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF Haruno Sakura, Going Home, Hurt/Comfort, Inoichi's POV, Kakashi's POV, Ninken | Ninja Dogs, Yamanaka Mind Stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:34:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24540880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pleasedial123/pseuds/Pleasedial123
Summary: Sakura was kidnapped by Gato and handed over to Momichi Zabuza like a bone tossed to a dog. This is the afterwards.Sequel to 'The Ocean is Dark And Deep'.
Series: Dark Waters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1773646
Comments: 116
Kudos: 1068





	1. To Look Again

**Author's Note:**

> Kakashi's POV for Sakura's kidnapping and her return

Kakashi was a teacher only through extreme reluctance and the fact he couldn’t exactly say no to his Hokage. That he’d only had his team for over a month before their Wave mission, that they were still shiny and new and mostly unknown didn’t help endear having students. 

But he’d never wanted this. 

Or maybe that’s exactly why he hadn’t wanted to be a teacher. A teacher meant students, which meant other humans close and under his responsibility. Which meant they could be lost. And Kakashi was tired of losing people. But that hadn’t stopped him from losing another.

He'd passed out after the battle with Zabuza. Like a brand new jonin, unbloodied and untested, he’d used too much chakra and made stupid mistakes. He’d passed out when he should have been fine, when he should have been awake to grab his kids and turn right back around for Konoha. The Demon Brothers had been low ranked B missing-nin, nothing he wasn’t sure his team could handle which was the only reason they’d carried on. His brush with Momochi should have made him turn on his heels and take his kids home. But he’d been unconscious.

And his kids, with all good intentions, had tried to keep pressing on. Kakashi had been unconscious for the disaster too. What he knew of it had been told to him by a scared Tazuna and an emotional Naruto and a nearly mute Sasuke. They’d been ambushed outside of Tazuna’s home; Gato had been smart enough to not rely on only Zabuza to stop him. Had heard of Zabuza’s defeat quickly and sent other men. Usually a group of civilian level thugs wouldn’t be an issue for a team of Konoha-nin, even genin. But Naruto had had his handful lugging Kakashi’s body around and trying to defend Tazuna and his family. The kids had split up out of desperation, hoping to draw the thugs away from Naruto who was stretching himself in the defence of such a group. Sasuke told Kakashi he’d handle the four thugs sent after him, had had to resort to jutsu and had even ended up killing one of the men. 

Sasuke had met up with Naruto and Tazuna’s family after they’d successfully escaped and retreated to the woods. And then they had waited for Sakura to find them. And waited. And waited. Naruto and Sasuke, frantic with worry at that point had sent clones to Tazuna’s house hoping she’d be there. She hadn’t been. Naruto’s clones had grabbed what they’d needed and they’d retreated deeper into the woods setting up a camp surrounded by traps. Naruto had wanted to search for Sakura after the family had been secure, and Sasuke had actually agreed with him, but neither of them were trained in tracking and except for finding where Sakura had fought, they hadn’t been able to read the field to know who won. Naruto had kept clones running around the area for hours upon hours trying to find her. 

Kakashi had woken up to a pair of genin who looked absolutely crushed and lost, to a family attacked in their home, to a make-shift camp in the woods, to no Sakura. 

Kakashi had nearly strained himself to injury to summon Pakkun, which had set his chakra recovery back a few extra days, only for Pakkun to tell him solemnly that Sakura had been taken alive, but that they’d taken her to a boat on the water and the trail was lost. Kakashi’s sharp questioning had made Tazuna shake but he’d answered honestly; no one really knew where Gato’s base was. He’d only recently set up a base on Wave, preferring to do his business by ship or by mainland until now. 

Kakashi understood that the Momochi situation, and a lot of the situation in general, was actually new. When Tazuna had come to get a ninja team, he’d been thinking only of the few thugs Gato sent over to enforce his will. He had been unaware that Gato would be diving in to seize more control, or that he’d gotten to a point where he hired missing-nin. It seemed like they had dropped into a situation that was quickly changing; Gato was in the final sprint of his plans and he was picking up speed. 

Kakashi had forced himself to his feet after that and though he didn’t have the strength to conduct a search himself he could direct Naruto’s clones better. Naruto and Sasuke he’d set to training, teaching them tree-walking and water-walking. Should the thugs come back, they’d both have a way up or across water to escape. Worse came to worse they could get back to the mainland without a ride. 

And then Kakashi had been left to stew in the realization he’d lost his first genin and it was his own fucking fault for making stupid rash decisions in battle like he was a green recruit. He should have simply grabbed his kids and ran; Zabuza hadn’t been there for them. He should have never contested Zabuza on top of or near water. He shouldn’t have played around with copying water jutsu; should have stuck to lightening and earth like he was more comfortable with. He should have at least had the decency to tell his kids to turn back to Konoha before he passed out. 

But he hadn’t and now Haruno Sakura was lost, probably even dead already.

Days had turned into a week and one week became two and still there was no hint or hair of Sakura. Gato’s men and Zabuza were also gone, none of them bothering Tazuna or his workers on the bridge. If not for a missing kid it might have been a peaceful mission.

And then, nearly four weeks after Sakura had been lost, Tazuna and Team Seven had arrived at the bridge to find it shrouded in fog. 

“Stay behind us,” Kakashi said shortly when they found the first worker laying still. 

Tazuna stared at his workers with horror, taking in their still forms as if they were dead. Kakashi’s sharp ears picked up the faint sounds of breathing and he knew they weren’t corpses, but beyond that he didn’t care. Instead he strained his ears and senses into the fog that was slowly, ever so slowly, thinning. Wordlessly Kakashi summoned his pack. They arrived hair raised and teeth bared. They knew what had happened and they were just as unhappy as Kakashi at the loss of his pup despite never having had a chance to meet her. 

Chakra flared in the distance, small but noticeable and _familiar_.

Kakashi stalked onto the bridge, chakra crackling under his skin and an anger settling into his bones. 

“Guard Tazuna,” Kakashi ordered Sasuke and Naruto.

“But-,” Naruto revolted.

“No. Guard Tazuna. If you see Sakura wait until I give you a signal. I’ll let you know if I need back up.”

They reluctantly accepted the order and set up guard in front of the bridge-builder. The last of the fog rolling over the bridge was dissipating, and his hounds were easy to track as they circled their prey, their growls loud in the silence. As the last of the fog vanished Kakashi found his enemy.

Momochi Zabuza was sitting upon a pile of lumber like it was a throne, feet spread and posture lazy as he grinned visibly at Kakashi. Beside him…

Beside him was Haruno Sakura. Not a Haruno Sakura Kakashi knew, a completely different girl than the one who had been captured, but an alive one at the very least. She was at Zabuza’s side, nearly pressed against him and her eyes were locked on Kakashi’s dogs. Kakashi tore his attention away from her with great effort, narrowing all his attention onto Zabuza. His rage sparked. He jerked forward a foot, kunai in hand ready to _kill_. 

“Ah,” Zabuza grinned nastily, “Stay right there.”

He lifted a hand and Kakashi-sensei’s mind tried to shy away from the fact there was a chain held in said hand. There was only one thing for it to be connected to of course and Kakashi tried to bury his reaction at the sight of Sakura choking on a thick leather collar connected to the leash. Her fingers dug into the leather in a practiced way of alleviating the pressure. He was unable to stop the snarl that spilled from his lips. 

“Get rid of the dogs Hatake and maybe I’ll be in the mood to talk,” Zabuza ordered. 

The Hounds dismissed themselves, hovering just on the edge of awareness and Kakashi knew that if he summoned them again they’d be prepared to spill blood. 

“It seems you lost something,” Zabuza told him, grin malicious, “A cute little student ripe for the taking. Careless of you.”

Naruto was growling behind him and Kakashi should have been concerned about how animalistic the sound was. The Kyuubi chakra was a spark at the edge of his awareness but not yet unleashed and it was really all Kakashi could do not to copy his student’s growling. 

“If you’ve touched her,” Kakashi said, voice deadly as he tried to get his threat across.

What did the threat matter anyways, Kakashi was going to rip this man’s throat out even without the threat. 

“Oh, too late for warnings like that, Hatake,” Zabuza laughed, “Gato gave her to me the first night he caught her. This little thing has been in my bed every night since.”

Kakashi’s snarl was frothing with rage at the taunt. Something inside of him cracked at his fears confirmed and Kakashi felt the sharingan spin with his anger. Behind him Naruto and Sasuke made aborted flinches forward, echoing his snarl. He leveled his killing-intent across the bridge and Zabuza merely gave him a nasty smirk. 

“You’ve probably dreamed once or twice of the sounds she might make when she was fucked well,” Zabuza mocked him, “You’ve probably gripped your cock to the image of the way she might cry and beg.”

Kakashi-sensei jerked forward half a step at such an insult. That Zabuza dared tried to claim such filth while he was holding his student collared and chained was not just testing Kakashi’s control but shredding it. He was one minute away from ripping Zabuza’s throat out with his teeth.

“No?” Zabuza mocked, “Well then, tell me Hatake: what would you give to have her back?”

“What do you want?” Kakashi asked, because the fact that Zabuza was asking meant he was open to negotiations. 

Kakashi didn’t know why Zabuza was here, why he’d dragged Sakura here like this, why he was even taunting Kakashi; but the fact he had opened negotiations meant there was a chance he really did want something in exchange for her. Kakashi was willing to do pretty much anything and Zabuza had to know that. 

“I’m not sure I want to give her up yet,” Zabuza laughed, “I just want to know what you’d give. Would you hand over the bridge builder?”

“I’d kill him myself,” Kakashi said with no hesitation.

Fuck Tazuna. He was the one who’d gotten his kid into this situation and he could damn well get her out if it was needed. Sasuke and Naruto were silent behind him and he knew they would do anything to get Sakura back as well. 

“Hmm. I think a prize like this is a little more expensive than one measly man’s life,” Zabuza grinned as he stood slowly, “I even trained her up for you. She knows how to heel and how to beg now.”

Zabuza rose slowly, rolling his shoulders, and Kakashi subtly braced his feet, ready to leap. He snarled again, an almost default response to Zabuza now, as he kicked Sakura’s legs out and planted a foot in her back. He pulled at the chain almost lazily and Sakura choked as she arched. Kakashi twitched again, ready to move but very aware of how vulnerable Sakura was. Zabuza could snap her neck like this, or even behead her before Kakashi reached him. 

“Go on, show him,” Zabuza told her, “Beg.”

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura choked out at him, voice cracking as she tried to suck in air.

Kakashi felt something inside of him break.

“Not him,” Zabuza tsked, “Me. Beg me.”

Sakura didn’t make a noise and Kakashi didn’t know if she could even draw breath in to speak. After a moment Zabuza pulled her upright, twisting her by the chin until she was showing Kakashi her back, standing on her tip toes. Zabuza growled something that was low enough even Kakashi didn’t catch it, but it didn’t look friendly. Sakura was scrabbling at the collar and Kakashi clenched his fists, waiting for his opening. 

“Fuck you,” Sakura finally choked out and Kakashi felt a jolt go down his spine.

His stupid, brave kid. Kakashi was already moving when Zabuza actually laughed out loud. The nasty smirk and air of malicious intent vanished almost instantly and Kakashi was almost thrown off by the complete change in attitude even as he lunged for the bastard. 

“Yeah, you’ll be fine, brat,” Zabuza grinned.

And then he grabbed her by the scuff of her shirt and tossed her into the air. Kakashi’s foot hit the ground and he redistributed his weight to throw himself up. He took his attention off of Zabuza for a brief moment, signalling Naruto and Sasuke. And then he was catching Sakura as she started her descent. 

Kakashi landed just as Naruto and Sasuke reached Zabuza, both of their eyes burned red as they tried to shred him. He just laughed and aimed a grin at Kakashi and Sakura before he collapsed, revealing a water clone. Kakashi stretched his senses as far as he could and found nothing. Kakashi tried to straighten up, tried to set Sakura down, and found his arms wanted never to let go.

Naruto and Sasuke joined them and Kakashi could smell and hear tears. He found tears pressed against his own eyes for the first time in years. Sakura was okay. Well, maybe not okay, but she was alive. She was warm and alive and her heart was beating and she was right here. 

“Let me up,” Sakura said, voice shaking.

Kakashi forced himself to comply, forced his body to unfurl and made his arms loosen. As soon as Sakura had her feet under her she took two swift steps back, still clinging to the leash. She stared at them and they stared back, nothing but relief in their throats. Sakura looked at him and he could practically see her mind turning over. She was silent and still for a long moment, visibly taking in the fact she was standing there. She dropped the chain.

And then her fingers were tearing at the collar on her neck desperately. She made a noise in the back of her throat like a wounded animal and Kakashi was alarmed to see blood as she cut herself in her desperation.

“Sakura,” he tried to intervene, stepping towards her, “Let me.’

But she didn’t seem to hear him. When he tried to reach forward to stop her she jerked out of his read, dodging his hands. She pulled on the collar so tight she choked herself. But then it was on the ground, the leather landing in a way that accentuated the fact it was wet with blood. Kakashi forced himself not to look at the fucking thing and looked at his student instead. She was panting, trembling with it, and looking dazed. 

“Sakura,” Kakashi said as gently as he could, repeating it as she flinched. 

“I’m fine,” Sakura gasped, “I’m fine.” 

It was a lie of course, her face said that plainly, but her trembling was dying down even as she said it. 

“You’re covered in blood,” Sasuke said quietly in the din.

“It’s not mine,” she said, “I mean it’s mostly not mine.”

Kakashi felt something heavy in his chest. She said it so dismissively, like blood was barely worth mentioning. To Kakashi’s nose it didn’t all smell fresh either and he knew she’d been wearing it on her skin and clothes for a while now. 

“Sakura,” Kakashi-sensei murmured, “Can I give you a hug?”

He could really use the reassurance she was still alive, that she was real and right in front of him. Sakura looked like she could use a hug as well, something tight; promises that he’d not let go of her again. 

“Can I say no?” she sniffled, and Kakashi ached all over again at the tentativeness to the question; as if she thought he might force it.

“Of course,” he said gently.

“Then I don’t want anyone touching me until I’ve washed the blood off,” Sakura wiped at her nose.

The tears hovered at the corner of her eyes but she wasn’t letting them fall, pink lashes glistening. The blood on her face was smeared at the movement and brought it into stark contrast against her pale skin. 

“Zabuza might be regrouping,” Kakashi said in the silence, trying to redirect his own attention away from his student to their security, “We need to get to safety.”

He was lucky Zabuza seemed to have fully left the area as this would have been the perfect opportunity to attack them. 

“Zabuza left,” Sakura said.

“Left?” Kakashi asked faintly, wondering what she knew. 

“He’s gone,” Sakura said, and her tone was honest and tired. 

“Gato is still a threat,” Kakashi said slowly, looking at her carefully.

She definitely knew what had just happened but Kakashi was confused. Why had Zabuza confronted them, had taunted and mocked them, only to give up Sakura with no fight and vanish? Why was Sakura unconcerned and dripping in blood?

Sakura smiled at him then and the smile was beautiful and bright and everything it shouldn’t be on a tortured little girl. 

“Gato’s dead,” Sakura told him, “I slit his throat.”

Her tone was not quite gleeful, but it was very pleased, a sort of pride under that. Kakashi was careful not to look away, careful not to react. He had trained himself to be unflappable in dire situations and though his anger had escaped him earlier, now was the real time for calm. He could snarl and react to an enemy as badly as he wanted, but he knew how badly doing the same to his allies could be. Sakura was a young girl who had just been through a horrific experience and he didn’t know the exact horrors she’d faced but he knew there was more damage than just to the surface right now. One wrong overreaction from him could do any number of harms. What if her captors had overreacted, had shown blatant anger to her, shown disgust? Kakashi would not allow her to draw similarities between him and her captors and so it was a serene calm he forced on himself now even as his softest, most innocent student told him she’d murdered a man. Sakura was a shinobi but she’d been an unbloodied one, a softer one, with notes in her profile saying she’d probably take her first death a bit hard. She shouldn’t be smiling, so very pleased with her first kill.

Beside him Kakashi could practically sense Naruto and Sasuke’s astonishment (and no little horror).

“Yoshiro’s dead too,” Sakura blurted out, “And Yuu. And all of Gato’s men.”

She said these names like they had meaning and Kakashi knew there was a story behind them, at how she offered them up. She looked at Kakashi squarely, a small tinge of confusion entering her eyes. As if she was looking for approval and hadn’t found it and was unsure why. 

“I killed ten of them,” Sakura said, voice quieting as she looked up at him, “I promise they’re really dead.”

She looked a little scared now, an expression of worry on her as her shoulders curled in. 

“I promise I did,” Sakura said, lip wobbling, “I made sure they were dead. I hunted Yoshiro down and I made sure Gato wouldn’t be a problem. The bridge is safe.” 

Kakashi automatically reached for her in the face of such vulnerability. Sakura’s snarl was loud and startling, her posture going from vulnerable to cornered in an instance even as she bared her teeth at him. They both froze, Kakashi surprised at how such a noise and reaction had emerged from her, and Sakura as if her own reaction had been forced out of her. 

She took another step back and nearly tripped over the very collar she’d thrown on the ground. 

“I…” Sakura faltered, lip trembling and eyes glazed with tears. 

“Good job,” Kakashi said abruptly, trying to hide the desperation, “Good job Sakura, I’m proud of you.”

He’d said exactly the right thing he realized as all defensiveness fell from her posture. She’d offered him up those deaths like his hounds offered him game they’d caught, waiting for his approval at the gift. 

“Can…” Sakura wiped at her nose with her arm, “Can I have something to eat?”

It was a tentative request, so heartbreakingly hesitant that Kakashi had to stop himself from immediately reaching for his supply of protein bars. 

“Of course,” Kakashi said with a tight smile, “Are you hungry?”

Sakura had always been a skinny girl but she seemed even skinnier. She looked…she looked terrible to be honest. Bags under her eyes that spoke of so little rest, skin pale like she’d not seen the sun enough, wrists bird-like with how thin they were. The blood, fresh and dried, made her look splotchy and worn. Her hair, once a tumble of pink waves was now roughly hacked at, uneven and splashed with blood and tangled. The worst was the thick ring of bruises around her neck, proof that the collar was not a new thing, but well worn and well tugged. 

“I haven’t gotten much to eat. Well, Haku gave me some food this morning but I’m always hungry,” Sakura said matter-of-factly like it was a normal situation.

Kakashi nodded again, the same pleasant smile on his lips by sheer force of will. 

“Naruto, can you make a bunch of clones and set them up on watch, just like we’ve been doing,” Kakashi said, “Sasuke, you’re with Tazuna.”

The boys looked between him and Sakura and then nodded and obeyed. Kakashi gently guided Sakura without touching her, leading her off the bridge and then down the embankment to the shore line. He tucked them half under the bridge so they wouldn’t be visible from up top and offered Sakura a protein bar. She tore into it desperately and Kakashi turned away so he didn’t hurt at the sight of how happily she ate the rather bland thing. He pulled a water bottle out of his seals as well and then a face cloth that he dipped int the water. He offered her both and she took them carefully. Her face looked a little better with the blood wiped off it. 

“You’re sure Zabuza is gone?” Kakashi asked her, both to check and to prompt for more information.

“Yeah. Gato betrayed him so they cut their losses,” Sakura said idly, “I’m glad he brought me back first.”

Kakashi considered this carefully. Gato had been the focus of a lot of Kakashi’s revenge fantasies lately despite never having met the man. He’d sounded smarter when the civilians talked about how he’d seized control and gained power here. Kakashi had thought him at least slightly competent for the kidnapping for his student. To hear he’d been stupid enough to turn on a missing-nin like Zabuza was surprising. Sakura had slit his throat too, he remembered. Kakashi wondered if that had been on purpose or in self-defence. 

“Do you…” Kakashi started, wincing at how to bring this topic up, “Do you need any medical attention?”

“No,” Sakura said. 

There were visible stitches on her arm, a variety of bruising and scrapes on her skin. The worst thing to look at was the ring of bruises around her throat, right where the collar had sat. Kakashi looked at them because he had to; had to make sure it was just bruises. 

“He said…” Kakashi regulated his breathing, “Sakura, there is no shame in injury.”

Sakura stared at him for a long time.

“I’m not ashamed of my injuries,” she finally said, “They mean I survived.”

Kakashi nodded slowly because that was true. He had just thought…he had hoped Sakura wouldn’t start looking at injuries that way. It was a healthy way to accept them, but damn if he didn’t want his students thinking that way this young. 

“Zabuza mentioned…” Kakashi tried again, “Sakura, there is no shame in rape either. But I must know if you need any medical attention.”

“Don’t listen to Zabuza,” Sakura said automatically, “…I stopped listening to him a long time ago. He doesn’t say what he means.”

Kakashi couldn’t help the pain that slipped onto his face. Her voice had been even, her answer quick, as if she’d thought of it before. But…but it also wasn’t a no. Kakashi thought of his only female student. He’d already noted she was a pretty girl, with soft pink hair and spring eyes he’d known she was going to catch eyes when she grew older. He’d only faintly thought of her turning heads this young and it hadn’t been in a good way. To have…of all the people on his team to have got caught by a group of thugs, Sakura he knew, would have fared the worse. Oh terrible things could be done to young pretty boys as well, but in their profession it was girls and women who suffered the most often. 

Kakashi hadn’t thought he would be getting Sakura back in one piece, if even alive at all, he had hoped but he hadn’t banked on it. Now that she was before him he thanked all the spirits he could that she was alive, walking on her own two feet, and functioning. But that didn’t mean there weren’t broken edges.

“I wasn’t raped,” Sakura said finally, slow but not stuttering as she looked away. “Yoshiro wanted too. Tried to catch me a few times. But Zabuza protected me. He even let me kill Yoshiro in the end. I strangled him to death with my chain.”

Kakashi sat beside Sakura slowly, his movements still wide and careful, careful not to scare her. 

“Zabuza protected you?” Kakashi asked, and this time his voice was soft.

He would happily slit Zabuza’s throat here and now if he had the opportunity, but he could hear the …well, not fondness, but something in her voice when she said Zabuza’s name. He could hold back being antagonistic over the man for now; pick you battles. 

“Yeah,” Sakura nodded, “He saved me from Yoshiro the first night and tried really hard to keep the other thugs from touching me. He even argued with Gato about it despite the fact Gato threatened to fire him.”

Kakashi watched her carefully as he considered this. Zabuza had stuck his neck out for her then. Well, for as much as any missing-nin would, especially one of Zabuza’s notoriety. Judging by his reputation Kakashi would have expected him to be more of the threat and less of the protector. Had judged him by that this whole time. But…but Kakashi supposed even missing-nin had to draw a line. And maybe Zabuza had drawn it at letting thugs rape a young girl to death. 

“He was rough and really mean,” Sakura admitted, sounding almost guilty to be talking bad of Zabuza, “But he saved me a bunch. Yoshiro wanted to rape me to death and Gato wanted to bury me in a ditch but Zabuza stopped them by saying I was his.”

“…You were wearing a collar, Sakura,” Kakashi said, it was all he could say in the face of that. 

“Gato ordered it,” Sakura said, “He called me Zabuza’s bitch.”

Kakashi felt some of his control slip away, felt himself slouching, losing some of that calm. The very thought of Sakura being held down and collared, called a bitch and forced to act like a beaten dog made something in his heart hurt. Sakura was watching him looking a tad confused at his reaction. Like she couldn’t understand what had happened to her was hurting him now. 

“Can…” Sakura finally started, “Can I go into the ocean?”

“You want to wash off,” he said.

“I…” Sakura paused. 

Sakura glanced up at him, a touch of worry in her gaze as if she wanted to stop talking, as if she knew she was hurting him. He knew he had no right to be hurt like this. Her hurt was more relevant, came first, but Kakashi was a sad old man and he ached for her. 

“I haven’t had a bath in while,” she said, “And I’m used to the dry blood now, but I’d like to get it off. If that’s okay?”

“That’s more than okay,” Kakashi said because that was more than fucking reasonable and she shouldn’t have felt the need it explain it to him, but she had, “I will keep watch but I promise I will turn my back.”

Sakura shrugged and stood. She started to pull of her outfit and he looked away. The clothes she was wearing were not her dress. She looked almost like she was wearing a local fisherman’s clothes in her pants and short sleeveless kimono. He didn’t ask her where her dress was, nor her headband. He didn’t want to know to be honest. He didn’t want to know if her dress had been ruined, if it had been ripped off by unforgiving hands, if she’d been forced to take it off herself. She’d said no to rape but there was a multitude of terrible things to be done to a vulnerable girl.

He would have to ask later because he’d need to know what he could of her capture to report it. But not now. 

Kakashi heard her slip into the water, heard her scrubbing at her skin to try and get the blood off. Heard how silently and quickly she tried to do it. When she ducked out of the water he turned to his sealed belongings and found a towel that he tossed over his shoulder in her direction.

“Do you have all your things sealed?” Sakura asked.

“We’ve been camping out hidden in the woods. It was best to keep things close. I tried to find your things after the ambush but…”

“I had my pack when I was caught,” Sakura finished for him, “The thugs tossed it off the boat when we were heading to Gato’s.”

Kakashi had wondered. Had hoped to find her things to get a better reading on her scent for his dogs. He had hoped in the very back of his mind that maybe’s she’d escaped and laid low, well supplied. 

“Do…do you think the boys would lend me some clothes?” Sakura asked. 

“Yeah,” Kakashi said thinking of how stained her civilian clothes were.

He offered her one of his blue uniform shinobi shirts for now and she pulled it on looking far to happy with the old thing. She wrapped the towel around her waist and followed Kakashi back up the slope. He let her linger in the shadows of the bridge entrance as he went to the boys. Naruto offered her up his extra pair of pants quickly and Sasuke even dug an extra shirt out for her, both of them looking so hopefully in her direction. He gave a shake of his head and told them to continue as they were. The boys were smart enough to know Sakura needed space at least for a little bit more. 

“Can I keep this shirt?” Sakura asked, “I can just roll up the sleeves.”

She looked perfectly happy standing in short orange pants and his long blue shirt. Kakashi nodded to her request and carefully approached her to help her roll up the sleeves. Her wrists looked so thin and brittle and he tried not to flinch away. 

“Kakashi-sensei,” she said tentatively looking unsure and tiny in her new clothes.

He looked over at her.

“Can I have that hug now?”

He pulled her into a soft slow embrace and Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt her bury her face in his shirt as she clung, the hug turning from soft to desperate. He held her so carefully, like she would break. 

He was so glad she was alive.

.--.


	2. Settle Gently

The first time Kakashi summoned his pack, on the way back from wave to scout the road ahead (they wouldn’t be caught off guard again), Sakura _screamed_. One moment she was calm and curious, leaning over his shoulder, and then she was screaming and screaming and screaming, voice high and terrified as she threw herself away from the pack with blind desperation. His hounds realized who she was terrified of first and unsummoned themselves. The screams ended but Sakura’s panic didn’t as she climbed a tree like her life depended on it. Naruto and Sasuke stared in a terrified sort of helplessness as Sakura curled up as high as she could, clinging to the tree and looking so scared the whites of her eyes showed. 

“Please come down,” Kakashi begged gently, “the dogs are gone.”

It took twenty minutes to talk her out of the tree, none of the boys willing to use anything even resembling force. She finally dropped from the tree and there were tears at the corners of her eyes, but like the past week she didn’t let a single one fall. Once again Kakashi ached as he realized his student had taught herself not to cry even when she desperately wanted to. She was gripping her hem tightly, another nervous habit she’d picked up, and her shoulders were hunched even as she refused to look away from his face. Kakashi had no idea who’s taught her to look up even when she just wanted to look away and curl in on herself and he didn’t like thinking about how they’d ingrained that habit in her. 

“I’m sorry,” Sakura choked out, voice as shaky as ever.

Kakashi had nightmares about what had happened to his student while she’d been held captive for three weeks. He knew whatever his nightmares were, her reality had been worse. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know my ninken would frighten you,” Kakashi said, “They won’t hurt you though, I promise.”

“I know,” Sakura swallowed, “I’m sorry.”

“If I summon them out of sight and get them to scout ahead will that be okay?” he asked gently.

“I…” she faltered, “No. I’d rather be able to see them.”

Kakashi nodded slowly and wished he didn’t need to summon them at all. But Zabuza was still out there and he’d given Sakura up without a fight, had been better to her than half the men she’d been stuck with if the few words she said were the truth, but Kakashi didn’t trust him. He’d lost her once, he wouldn’t lose any of them again if he could help it. When he summoned his ninken again they arrived already laying down, heads lowered to appear unthreatening. Sakura stared at them, her pupils wide with fear but she didn’t scream this time. Kakashi gave them instructions and they all very respectfully gave Sakura a wide berth. Pakkun stayed at his side, the smallest and least threatening of his hounds. Sakura didn’t seem to notice him as she kept her eyes locked on the larger ones until they leapt into the trees.

The rest of the day was tense, Sakura so close to his heels he was worried about tripping over her. But she’d had practice keeping close it seemed and stayed in his bubble while not getting in the way. That night Sasuke and Naruto bracketed her between them in their sleeping rolls. But Kakashi knew as he kept watch that she didn’t sleep a wink. 

Sometime near dawn Sakura slipped from the pile and joined Kakashi in his tree. She sat close enough he could feel her body heat, but she was very carefully not touching him.

“I’m sorry for screaming at your dogs,” she said, nearly silent.

“Mah, that’s fine, they didn’t take it personally,” he said trying to keep a light tone.

Sakura stared off into the distance, eyes glazed, and he let her sit there in comfort.

“Gato...” she broke the silence, “He had these dog fighting rings.”

She swallowed and her hand clamped to her forearm where Kakashi had carefully noted she had stitches. He’d meant to ask after them when they got back to Konoha. He’d already noted they were professionally stitched shut and thus any concern could wait until later. 

“Gato called me Zabuza’s bitch,” Sakura breathed, as he dragged his eyes away from her arm, “Put a collar and leash on my and called me his bitch.”

Kakashi’s fingers felt numb where they were gripping his book but he was very careful not to react.

“Gato, he…” Sakura swallowed, “He threw me in the pit with his most vicious dogs.”

“How many?” Kakashi asked and his voice sounded so far away.

“Five,” Sakura said looking at her arm, “I won though.”

She was here, right beside him, he reminded himself. The teeth marks on her arm would heal. She was fine. She was alive. 

They sat in silence until the boys stirred. Kakashi watched Sakura jump down to them and wondered how many more horror stories Sakura would tell him. He hoped there were no more but his heavy heart told him there would be plenty.

.--.

“Can I borrow a kunai?” Sakura asked Naruto as they crouched near the creek.

“Sensei said not to give you anything sharp,” Naruto said.

Kakashi wanted to sigh at how easily Naruto told on him. But he supposed Sakura must have realized when he didn’t give her any weapons.

“I know,” Sakura said, echoing his thoughts, “But I just want to…”

She looked down at the water.

“Promise you won’t hurt yourself,” Naruto said and his lip wobbled, “Sensei was worried you’d hurt yourself.”

“I won’t hurt myself,” Sakura said and it sounded surprisingly honest.

Naruto passed her a kunai and Kakashi only let it be because Naruto stayed right beside her, keeping careful watch. Sakura looked at the water again and then reached up to start hacking at her hair. Naruto made a noise of protest but didn’t stop her. After a minute of her uneven chopping Naruto actually took the blade from her hand.

“Let me,” he muttered.

And surprisingly she did. He watched how she didn’t even twitch as Naruto settled behind her with a blade. Naruto was surprisingly good at using the kunai to cut hair and Kakashi got an idea how his own hair got trimmed. 

“Say when,” Naruto said as he kept shortening and shortening her hair.

By the time Sakura stopped him her hair was somewhere between a pixie cut and a buzzcut. It was a boy’s cut of sorts, something a young boy would wear when they couldn’t care for their hair. Kakashi watched very carefully as Sakura reached up and tried to tangle her own fingers in it and failed.

“It’s really short,” Naruto said.

“Yeah,” Sakura agreed, something like contentedness in her voice, “No one can grab it now.”

Kakashi thought back to the bridge how Zabuza kept pulling her hair, her collar, jerking her around like he liked to keep control of her. Kakashi wondered how many times people had held her down by her hair. 

“You’re okay?” Naruto asked softly in the silence.

Sakura reached for his hand and he took it desperately.

“I’m okay,” Sakura smiled at him.

And wasn’t that a rush. She could smile still. Kakashi swallowed at the sight and thanked every spirit out there that his student wasn’t broken beyond repair. 

.--.

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura whispered nearly silently.

“Hmm?” He asked watching from the corner of his eye as Sasuke slipped part of his meal onto her plate. 

She didn’t seem to notice Sasuke’s actions as she looked at Kakashi carefully. 

“When we get home,” she said, “Can…can I still be on Team Seven? Please.”

“What are you talking about,” Naruto demanded loudly, “Of course you will still be on Team Seven. Right Kakashi-sensei?”

Under the silence even Sasuke’s gaze sharpened on him. But Sakura’s face held understanding.

“Sakura,” he said softly, “You suffered a large degree of trauma and abuse.”

“I’m fine,” Sakura said like it was a mantra, “Please. I can’t stop being a ninja. I can’t be…weak.”

“Sakura,” Kakashi said again helplessly, “It’s not up to me.”

“Why not?” Sasuke demanded, tone sharp even when it was muted. 

“She will have to pass certain tests,” Kakashi tried to explain, “To prove she can handle being back in the field.”

“That’s not fair!” Naruto said, “None of it was her fault!”

“It’s not about fair,” Kakashi sighed, “It’s about liability.”

“But if I pass,” Sakura interrupted Naruto’s question on what ‘liability’ was, “You’ll keep me on Team Seven right?”

Kakashi wanted to say no and wrap her in a quilt and hand her back to her parents and tell them to get her a nice quiet job somewhere like the library. He wanted her wrapped up and secure in Konoha where she couldn’t be hurt like that again.

But she was looking at him with clear sharp green eyes, covered in new shiny scars, and she looked ravenous; not for food but for strength. She looked at him so determined despite everything.

“If you are given the green light,” he told her, “You will always be welcome on my team.”

She smiled, a soft hesitant thing and turned back to her dinner. Over her head Naruto sulked but Sasuke shot Kakashi a glare that said if he was lying Sasuke would disembowel him. Kakashi wanted to chuckle. Sakura had spent most of her time on the team before Wave showing off and trying to get Sasuke to pay attention to her. And now she didn’t seem to care one whit and it was Sasuke who didn’t take his eyes off her.

.--.

“Hello Sakura,” Inoichi smiled kindly. 

The little girl that looked up at him was not the little Haruno Sakura he remembered running around with his daughter. She wasn’t the shy little girl with long hair who ran about playing with his daughter, who later came tumbling in his shop to exchange taunts with Ino. His wife thought their little friendship turned passive aggressive ‘rivalry’ was the cutest thing she’d ever seen and cooed over Sakura and Ino from the hall as they argued and teased one another. She wasn’t the girl he’d kept tabs on who had a temper behind the born and bred politeness, who was a bit shy with new people but was smart as a whip when you got her talking.

This was a new Haruno Sakura and Inoichi’s wasn’t sure what edges she hid under her new direct stare.

“Hello Inocihi,” she smiled at him.

Even her smile was different. It had been sweet before, or wide and beaming when she was really happy. Now it was a sort of sharp thing, as if she wasn’t used to the expression. 

“I heard you had a hard time with the last mission. Ran into a bit of trouble,” he said, putting it extremely mild.

Her lips twitched, closer to one of her sly smiles she’d shared with Ino when they’d been conspiring or when she’d come up with a good taunt for his daughter. 

“A bit,” she said.

Her hands were on the table, the mission scroll open and mostly blank. It was a standard mission scroll, one that would be filled out with the bare facts to be done in her own hand. The scroll he would fill out later would be filed with it and would explain in depth Sakura’s psychological scars and any areas of concern. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

She was wearing a plain t-shirt and shorts, something he knew she and Ino would never have tolerated as being too plain. The little white t-shirt somehow made her seem skinnier, made the scars on her arm in the shape of a bite mark more vivid. There was a scar on her throat that would probably fade over the next few years, a sharp line he knew had come from a collar breaking skin over and over again. 

Hatake had given his own report earlier, as had the boys, but there were too many blank spots. All they knew was Haruno Sakura had been taken prisoner by a civilian crime lord/businessman and been passed off to Momichi Zabuza for some reason. They’d retrieved her in decent condition but with bruises, wearing a collar, blatant psychological scars, and almost ten pounds lighter (for a small girl that was far too many precious pounds). None of them knew what had happened to her in detail but with all cases involving prolonged contact with foreign ninja, they needed details. 

“Good,” Sakura said, “Better.”

“That’s good.”

Hatake had told him she was bouncing back really well, that she was changed but that she showed few obvious signs of her imprisonment. The resilience of kids was amazing, but it could also hide ugly scars that they simply repressed.

“Do you know what we are going to do today?” he asked her, offering her a calm kind smile.

When he’d heard she was coming in for intake, he’d put his name down as the lead. They liked their own to feel at least a little comfortable during this process. It wasn’t like interrogating enemies and they encouraged comfort during the process so their own didn’t fear them or try to avoid the process. If you scared away your own people it led to people hiding things for fear of coming in. Make the process easy and comfortable and they’d be far more willing to come in on their own for debriefing.

“You’re going to use your mind jutsu,” Sakura said. 

“That’s right. You’ve practiced with Ino before right?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, both of them thinking of the afternoons coaching Ino into the basics. 

Sakura had been the test dummy in a way but it wasn’t painful and both girls had trusted each other enough to do it. It had been a good experience for Sakura too, being raised around civilian parents and not getting to see jutsu or chakra usage outside of the academy. 

“You remember it doesn’t hurt and it’s pretty quick,” he said, “But you do need to do a bit of work on your part to make it so easy.”

“I have to focus on certain things right? It helps lead you?”

“Exactly.”

With enemies it was more of a painful process, ripping though the mind wasn’t meant to be painless and often they tried to hide things. Which of course made them focus on it and so led the Yamanaka right to what they needed, albeit less painlessly. For the willing, the process was easier, less of a ripping and more of a gentle rifling. If the person under the jutsu cooperated, it was like laying all the needed files out on a table for easy access. 

“Are you ready for that or would you like to have a few minutes to gather yourself?” he asked kindly.

“I’m ready,” she said, “You’ll tell me what to focus on right?”

“Yes,” he said, “You just need to relax.”

She scooted her chair away from the table, leaving her mission scroll, and he carefully took the chair beside her, making sure to move slow and careful to not spook her. She tracked his hands almost automatically.

“I have to rest my hands on your head for better connection, is that okay?”

She nodded wordlessly. He carefully reached up and pressed his palm to her forehead.

“Just like this,” he said gently.

Something untensed in her as if she’d been expecting him to grab her hair. He knew that she hated having her hair touched now and was sure he’d see details why soon enough.

“Now,” Inoichi said softly, “I will let you know every time I need you to focus on something, and you just need to picture it, try to remember as much as you can.”

She nodded just enough for him to feel in his palm and closed her eyes. He did the same and lifted his free hand to go through the signs. There was a momentary rush, a sort of weightlessness that always came with mind-melding, especially the lighter touches. 

“Let’s start with the day your were captured.”

The rush of her emotions wasn’t cloying but he felt them buzz through their connection. Terror was always an emotion that bled through but Inoichi was the best of the Yamanaka for a reason and he didn’t let it flow into his own mind. The images that flashed, the memory that played was a bit jumbled, human memory too faulty to be smooth and easy, but he got pictures, scenes, feelings enough to decipher.

Inoichi kept up a calm commentary, carefully directing her from moment to moment, his voice low and easy as he pretended everything was fine. He made to sure to constantly remind her she was safe and this was just a memory. Under the mind-meld sometimes people forgot it was a simple memory they were thinking off. The mind-meld made everything more vivid, more real, pulled the emotions and such forward for the user to better see, which had the consequence of making the memory more real for the person as well. Flash-backs and panic attacks were not uncommon when the sort of memories they pulled forward were reviewed. 

Inoichi watched and felt as Sakura’s memories jumped and buzzed through him. Felt her terror as she was dragged by her hair onto a boat, as her things were dumped, as the men taunted her with rape. He was there when Yoshiro looked at her with lust and want in his eyes, begging to have her to devour. Was there when a hand settled on her head and claimed her, when teeth marked her throat, when terror took up home in her chest as Momichi tugged her into bed. 

He rode her memories as she was hollowed out by terror and hunger and exhaustion. The rape never came but the constant threat hung above her head like an executioner’s axe. He walked with her as she dragged herself forward, pulling herself onward even as she started to shake apart under fear. He was there with her as she fought with rabid dogs as men and women cheered for her blood and death to stain the mud. He was there was she learned what hatred felt like as it burned in her heart. He was there when the terror started to grow sharp with rage. 

He fought civilian men with her, laid awake at night wondering what Momichi truly wanted. He dreamed of food and home and security with her as she took all that sweet-smiling Haku had to offer. The terror was more rage than fear now, even as she didn’t recognize the shake in her bones as being anything different than horror. He hid with her as Yoshiro tried to find her to eat her alive, to rape her to death, to take everything he could from her. He learned of betrayal, of greed, and held his tongue as she thought on it. When she offered up this information to Zabuza, the only offering she had for a man who hadn’t raped her to death, he closed his eyes in exhaustion with her. 

When she was told to go, was released from her chains, Inoichi hunted with her, spilling hot blistering blood across walls and floors and skin. He was with her when satisfaction grew heady in her mind, the drug of revenge tasting sweet on his tongue as they slit Gato’s throat and cracked Yuu’s head open and strangled the ever-hungry Yoshiro to death. Zabuza’s praise of a job well done was enough to ease the last of the terror out of her bones. They were left with a dimming rage and a satisfied hatred and the bone deep exhaustion. Seeing her team again sparked something like relief in them, but the rest of the emotions and weariness crammed in her body weighed them down too much for that relief to float them up. 

Coming home felt good, but also cheap after the high of terror and rage and hatred and satisfaction. Everything should have felt normal, should have felt like before, and it didn’t and it both frustrated and relieved her. She was not the same Haruno Sakura who had left Konoha so many weeks ago, and that was okay, but it was hard trying to fit back into place.

Inoichi opened his eyes. Sakura was crying, silently and still, tears dripping down her face. All the tears she’d never been able let fall during her captivity. He pulled his hand away from her head and held her hands instead.

“No one ever feels normal after coming home from something like that,” he told her, “You won’t feel normal again because you’ve changed. But that’s not a bad thing Sakura. We all change and grow constantly. You won’t ever be the same girl that left, but you won’t always be this girl as well. And you are not worse than before, you are not a bad person for feeling joy at the death you dealt. You’ve simply grown, there is no bad or good about it.”

She nodded wordlessly tears still flowing, but she was watching him, listening. He knew that was exactly what she needed to hear. He’d been in her head after all. 

“It will be okay,” he smiled gently. 

.--.

“Tsume,” Kakashi greeted lightly.

Inuzuka Tsume looked at him with narrowed eyes, the expression mirrored by her canine. Her eyes searched his hands for his book and his shoulders for his lazy slouch and when she found them both gone she stood straighter.

“What can I do for you Kakashi?” she asked, “Need something for you ninken?”

“You hear about our mission?” Kakashi asked instead.

“Some. Heard it went tits up. Heard your kid suffered for it.”

Like with most cases of a fucked-up mission, gossip had spread quick. Behind the gossiping tongues was a softer warning though and most ninja in Konoha knew Haruno Sakura had been traumatized. As much as she deserved her privacy, she also deserved to feel safe and every Konoha ninja would be aware enough of her trauma to avoid further traumatizing her. No questions would be asked of her, everyone would be careful to approach her, no blades would be pulled around her, the like. Konoha looked after their own.

“Yeah,” Kakashi breathed, “She got… she got dragged around by a leash and collar for a bit, treated like a bitch.”

Tsume’s nose wrinkled with anger. 

“Want me to talk to her?” Tsume asked, “Teach her how bitches are the best hunters and what not? Change that from an insult to a compliment for her.”

“No,” Kakashi shook her head, “There was a dog fighting ring as well.” 

“And she was treated like a dog. Don’t tell me…” Tsume snarled.

“She got tossed in,” Kakashi nodded once, “Had to fight some. She…she doesn’t do well around dogs right now.”

Tsume was silent but her face was angry. 

“I’ll spread the word,” she finally said, “tell the fam not to approach her with their dogs.”

“Thank you. I’m mostly worried about Kiba because…”

“Because he’s young, stupid and won’t understand. He’s around her age-mates often enough to be a worry,” Tsume gave a jerky nod, “I’ll make sure he knows. And when she’s ready, Kakashi, send her to me. I’ll show her how to fight against dogs.”

Teaching someone how to specifically fight against their partners was not something an Inuzuka would do. But in this case Kakashi was very grateful.

“Thank you,” he said. 

.--.

“Can I give you a hug?” were the first words out of Ino’s mouth.

“Yes,” Sakura said.

Ino did so slowly, carefully, embracing Sakura until they were locked together. Sakura buried her nose in Ino’s soft neck, in her hair, and inhaled deeply. Ino was a good kunoichi and she had no scent to her, but the work she’d done for the day in the flower shop left the faint smell of earth and flowers clinging to her. 

“I was so scared,” Sakura whispered.

Ino pet her hair gently and Sakura didn’t flinch. 

“Daddy said you are gonna come stay with us for a bit,” Ino said, “I’ll protect you.”

Sakura closed her eyes and simply held on so very tightly. Ino didn’t complain once.

It was going to be okay.

.--.


	3. Fine as Sand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LAST CHAPTER (NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE ALTERNATE ENDING)

Sakura looked across the room holding all the Kage’s of the Great Nations. Since the room and table were round Sakura could see everyone perfectly over Tsunade’s shoulder. Tsunade was sitting straight backed and proud as she looked at her fellow Kage’s. There was talking going on, conversation that ranged in volume from hissing to yelling. But Sakura barely paid attention to it. She’d go over it later, but for now her priority was Tsunade’s safety. She didn’t think she would be needed to protect her Master but she wasn’t going to slack off her duty just because violence was unlikely.

Sakura kept an eye on the other guards doing the same and tried not to let her friendship with some of them, like Kankuro, stop her from looking at them as if they were all equally a threat. She had a job to so and she’d damn well do it professionally. 

It was hard to do so when Kankuro gave her such a cheery wave from behind Gaara. She gave him a raised brow and pointedly ignored him to glance at his sister who rolled her eyes at Sakura as if saying ‘see what I have to live with’. Gaara smiled at Sakura as well, not able to see his siblings but probably aware of their antics. Sakura tried to pretend she didn’t know the Sand Siblings as Tsunade and the Iwa Kage started a screaming row.

While the Kazekage and his retinue were on the lowest end of the threat scale, other’s she was more leery about. Iwa was the worst of course, too much bloody history there to make even this shaky alliance anything more then snarls and glares traded across the table. Kumo was next on the threat list because of the contempt they held for everyone. Sakura thought of Neji out in the hall standing guard and knew bad blood between Konoha and Kumo was something to be leery of.

The Kiri retinue was the unknown here. Mei was a new kage, one who they’d barely even known was in charge before she swanned in. Sakura knew very little about her but the dreamy way she stared at Tsunade said she probably wouldn’t start anything. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t finish a fight if it was started, but Sakura didn’t see her coming for their throats unannounced. 

Sakura carefully avoided looking too closely at Mei’s guards. She wanted to stay professional after all. For now.

.--.

“Pack your shit,” Tsunade ordered, “We’re going home.”

Sakura, her things long since packed traded off with Neji. He gave her a raised brow, his version of a curious look, and Sakura smiled at him and flashed a sign asking him to cover her. Maybe this was irresponsible but Sakura needed to have words with someone before all the Kages went their separate ways.

“Sakura,” Kakashi-sensei said lowly.

She looked at him. He looked indolent and lazy where he was seated and watching everyone pack. He was never more than five feet away from Tsunade but he kept his eye on Sakura as well.

“Don’t mind me,” Sakura waved a hand.

“Don’t do it,” Kakashi-sensei narrowed his eyes.

“Do what?” Sakura asked, trying for innocent.

“If you go to him…” Kakashi-sensei said.

“I’m not going to break down,” Sakura snorted, “I just have some words that need to be said.”

Kakashi-sensei searched her expression but what he saw must have relaxed him because he sighed.

“You know me,” Sakura said, “Can’t leave well enough alone.”

He shook his head but didn’t protest again. He knew her better than he claimed and they both knew there was no stopping Sakura on this. 

Sakura slipped from the rooms, down the hall and out into the snowy landscape. The Kiri delegation had barely made it a kilometer down the road and sensed her coming easily. Most of the guards had drawn their weapons at her approach, sneers on their faces, but Mei just looked curious.

“Ah, Tsunade’s student,” Mei greeted cheerfully, “Did you have a message for me?”

“No Mizukage-sama,” Sakura bowed appropriately, “I would like to request some of your guard’s time though.”

“Oh?” Mei asked, looking delighted, “You know one of these ruffians?”

Haku smiled at Sakura from his Kage’s side, his face ever so pretty still. Somehow Haku had grown into his pretty face and it was even prettier. She hadn’t known that was possible. What had she thought so long ago? Water was wet, sky was blue, and Haku was beautiful. No wonder he wore that old hunter mask so often. Sakura gave him a nod and watched the way Mei followed her gaze.

“Ooh!” Mei clapped, “Haku? You didn’t tell me you knew Tsunade’s apprentice!”

“I met her a long time ago, Mei-sama,” Haku said, “But I don’t think it’s me she’s here to see.”

The only guard who hadn’t turned to face her with a weapon or a smile was standing facing the road. He had the same large sword flat against his back, the same pants, the same leg warmers. The only thing changed was the padded haori draped over his shirtless back, the only deference to the snow. He faced away from her blatantly ignoring her. Mei’s eyes focused on him laser intensity and she looked utterly delighted. The rest of the guards looked between Zabuza and Sakura.

“Zabuza,” Sakura called, “Won’t you look at me?”

Zabuza gave a grunt and slowly turned. He looked the same as she remembered, maybe a few years older, but he still had that scowl that was his base expression.

“What do you want brat?” he snapped.

“Well,” Sakura smiled, “I’d like an apology for one.”

She’d surprised him. He spluttered, actually spluttered, and Sakura’s smile widened into a shit-eating grin.

“An apology?!” he gaped at her, “What fucking apology could I owe you!? I think I deserve a goddamn thank you!”

“Ah, yes that too,” Sakura said easily.

She bowed low at her waist, a perfect ninety-degree bow.

“Thank you Zabuza,” she said honestly, “For saving my life all those years ago.”

When she straightened the Kiri delegation was staring wide-eyed. Zabuza’s own eyes were blown wide, as if surprised she’d so easily thanked him. Haku was watching with an amused smile and Mei looked absolutely delighted. 

“Now, you owe me an apology,” Sakura said.

“What for,” Zabuza said flatly.

“For pulling my hair,” Sakura said.

The snort Mei let out was unattractive and she tried to stifle it as Haku hid a smile behind his sleeve.

“Pulling your hair,” Zabuza said through grit teeth.

“I understand you other actions,” Sakura said, “It took me some time, but I did learn to appreciate what you did for me. But the hair pulling was just you being a bastard.”

Mei was trying to stifle her laughter while the others looked like they were watching a tennis match, eyes jumping between Sakura and Zabuza. 

“I’m not apologizing for that,” Zabuza said, jaw clenched.

“Well fuck you then,” Sakura said cheerfully.

He growled at her and she just grinned all the wider. Her heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. 

“Let’s just say you owe me drink,” Sakura said, “Next time I’m near Kiri or you’re near Konoha, after all this Akatsuki business.”

“A drink,” Zabuza said as if confused, “Are you inviting me for a drink?”

“Yeah,” Sakura said with a lopsided grin.

He stared at her.

“Answer the girl Zabuza, she just asked you out,” Mei teased.

“Shut up,” Zabuza snapped, “She did not.”

“I sort of did,” Sakura shrugged.

He stared at her.

“You’re still too young for me brat,” he finally sneered.

“Fair Enough. As friends then,” she smiled.

He glared at her and she gave him another grin. 

“Fuck you,” he growled.

“You just turned me down though,” she teased.

The hint of a flush on his cheeks made her cackle internally. This was…this was good. She grinned at the party and winked at Haku who looked like he was about to lose it with laughter. 

“I’ll see you around Zabuza,” she said, “And really, thank you. I mean it.”

“…Don’t need to thank me,” Zabuza finally grumbled.

“I think I do,” Sakura said more softly, “Maybe you did it on a whim, didn’t really feel invested in the outcome, but you saved a young girl from being raped to death and buried in that shit-hole. And I am grateful for that no matter your motivation.”

He stared at her like he had all those years ago, as if trying to figure her out. Sakura smiled at him like she hadn’t been able to back then. Sakura had been a ball of terror and fear and rage (though that had taken her a while to recognize). Looking back she had been able to see the way Zabuza had tried to protect her. She’d been nothing, some enemy genin, and he hadn’t needed to stick his neck out for her, but he had. And Sakura really was grateful. Even if he’d been a cunt about it. 

“Thank you,” she bowed again, “I’ll see you around Zabuza.”

“…See you around, Brat.”

“It’s Sakura,” Sakura laughed, “I was a cagey little bitch, and you probably know my name now, but just in case; my name is Haruno Sakura. Look me up if you’re near Konoha.”

He’d probably learned her name years ago. Sakura had apprentice to the Slug Sannin Tsunade and then had wound up killing Sasori of the Red Sands, so her name was well known now. But it still felt good to face Zabuza and tell him her name. He deserved to have the name of the little girl he’d rescued. 

In the grand scheme of things, his actions hadn’t been anything. The only person’s life he’d changed was hers, but he’d changed it completely. And to Sakura, the life he had saved was the world. He could have left her to die on that island and the world would have kept spinning. But he hadn’t. He might not have changed the whole world but he’d changed hers and she was really really grateful. 

She waved the Kiri Delegate off and when Mei winked at her Sakura knew she’d get that drink with Zabuza if just because of the Mizukage’s scheming. Sakura would take what she could get. She watched Zabuza walk away, blatantly ignoring her again, and Sakura smiled. 

She was fine. And that was the truth thanks to him. 

Life was just fine.

.--.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE AN ALTERNATE ENDING FOR THOSE WHO WANTED SOMETHING LESS PLATONIC AND MORE SAKURA/ZABUZA.


	4. Kicking up the Silt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISREGARDS CHAPTER 3
> 
> This is a Zabuza/Sakura ending

Zabuza hacked, spitting a mouthful of blood to the side but never once taking his eyes off of Kisame.

“You’ve been training,” Kisame chuckled, slashing Samehade as if to get the blood off (like the damned thing didn’t eat it).

“So have you,” Zabuza sneered.

Haku was gasping, choking, around his broken ribs. The glazed look in the young man’s eyes said he was suffering not just chakra-exhausting but also a concussion. Zabuza let his feet spread further, bracing himself more steadily over Haku. 

The field was a mess of water and furrows and goddamn sharks filling every deeper pool of water. The water next to them shuddered almost threateningly before freezing over. 

“Stop it,” Zabuza hissed at Haku, “You’re going to kill yourself.”

“Here, I’ll help him along,” Kisame laughed as he threw himself at them.

Zabuza wrenched his blade in front of him, ready to defend as best he could, but he didn’t allow the threat to make him sway out of his defensive posture. 

And then there was a comet, erupting from the sky, streaking down to the earth. Kisame was quicker on his feet than Zabuza remembered and managed to cut his charge off and throw himself backwards just as the comet hit the earth between them. Zabuza slammed his blade into the ground, kneeled behind it, careful to fully cover Haku and cursed as the world filled with dust and water from impact. He was surprised no rock shrapnel came hurtling towards them.

Kisame cursed in the distance which allayed any fear that it was his back-up. 

“Looks like you’re being beat like a dog, Zabuza.”

Zabuza blinked and squinted through the dust as it started to settle. The comet was a person; a person rising from their braced posture from the center of their impact crater. They’d angled their descent and Zabuza realized that no shrapnel had hit him because it had all been thrown towards Kisame. Kisame had recovered quick enough unfortunately and brushed rock dust off of himself, only a few superficial cuts the result of the entrance. 

Zabuza’s eyes found their worn scared hands first, took in the angle of their firm posture towards Kisame, took in the muscle stretched across a sturdy but wiry frame. And only then did he take in the pink hair and the feral green eyes and the bared teeth. 

The Brat gave him something like a smile, something like a snarl, all of her teeth on display as she cut her eyes at him only briefly. Her black sandaled feet spread across the ground, across her crater. Rock and dust decorated her black spandex pants and her dull green short-kimono. The ripped off sleeves showed off long sleeved mesh and the visible muscle underneath that. She cut her gaze to Kisame and her hands dipped to retrieve a set of knives strapped across her thighs. The combat knives gleamed in the light, metal wrapping itself neatly across her knuckles as she held them with familiarity. 

Zabuza’s eyes lingered on the short straight pink bob that was her hair, not half as long as it had been all those years ago when he’d first seen her but not as short and ragged the cut he’d given her had been. It was far pinker than he remembered even with the dust in it. Maybe the blood and mud had dulled it in his memory. 

Then her words registered.

“I’m not being beat,” he snarled, “Fucking brat.”

“No?” she asked, false surprise in her voice, “You just enjoy getting tossed around then?”

“Fuck you,” he spat automatically.

“Seems your vocabulary hasn’t changed much,” she taunted.

Kisame shook himself free of dust and rock and smirked like he was enjoying the show. His eyes ran up the Brat and then he raised a brow at Zabuza, a grin on his face.

“Got yourself some nice ass here, Zabuza.”

The Brat shifted her pose into an offensive stance, knifes coming up. It had the interesting effect of making her arms flex. Zabuza stared at the well-defined muscle on visible display. This was a far cry from the skinny starved feral kid he’d seen so many years ago. 

“He’s getting no ass from me,” the Brat said idly, “Not until he gives me the apology he owes me.”

Zabuza spluttered, actually fucking spluttered.

“A fucking apology?!” he howled, “I don’t owe you shit Brat! You owe me a goddamn thank you!”

“Of course I do,” the Brat said easily, “Thank you by the way. But you still owe me an apology.”

“What do I owe you a fucking apology for?” he demanded with a snarl.

“You pulled my hair.”

There was a long moment of silence as Zabuza tried desperately to get words out. Kisame was simply staring at them making a suspicious breathy noise that was to similar to a laugh. 

“You…” Zabuza trailed off, enraged.

“You pulled my goddamn hair, you cunt,” the brat shot him a show of her teeth, “Do you know how long it took me to grow it out after that shit?”

Zabuza wordlessly howled. 

“My, my Zabuza,” Kisame said wheezed with laughter, “Pulling a ladies hair is rude don’tcha know?”

“She’s no lady!” Zabuza growled, “She’s a fucking Brat!”

“I was twelve,” the brat said flippantly, “All children are brats.’

Kisame’s laughter cut off.

“Twelve,” he said slowly, “Well. I know you’re an asshole Zabuza, but really? Twelve? That’s a little depraved even for you.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Zabuza snapped, “I didn’t touch her like that!”

“What?” the brat said, “Are you sure you don’t remember bragging to my sensei how you taught me to beg? I’m sure I remember some words about how good you had trained me while I wore your collar.”

Kisame as staring at him with judgmental eyes like he had any right to judge anyone.

“Shut up,” he snapped again, this time at her.

She cackled instead. 

“You sit tight and start working on that apology, asshole. I’ll take out the trash,” she mocked him. 

Kisame, sensing her intent, threw up his sword just in time for her knives to crash into it instead of his throat. Zabuza couldn’t help the hiss of surprise as the brat spun in a show of speed and tried to cut Kisame’s fingers from his hilt. Kisame tried to shred her and the brat actually spun out of the way midair. She landed and then went right back for the shark’s throat. Her hits were precise but full of wild violence, every move driven by strength and conviction. She didn’t pause once as she went for a killing blow every time. 

When Kisame managed to dodge a blow that would have caved his skull in, her fist hit the ground and they all had time to realize her earlier impact crater wasn’t just from her decent. Earth shattered, jagged rock thrown into the air like confetti, deadly in its speed and force. 

Despite her confident attack, it was easy to see she wasn’t quite up to S-class missing-nin strength and slowly Kisame was forcing her back, looking like he was having the time of his life doing so. 

“If you get tired of that asshole, I’d just like to say I could definitely appreciate a girl like you,” Kisame leered at her as he threw her back with his sword, “Muscles like that I could appreciate all night if you know what I mean.”

He gave her a waggled of his brows even as he gave her a real look of appreciation, eyes lingering on her arms. 

“Well,” the brat said idly, “I can say I appreciate the compliment at least. You’re not too shabby yourself. Too bad I can’t get over the whole out-to-destroy the world thing. Oh, and how you’ve been trying to hunt down my teammate to murder.”

“Teammate?” Kisame asked.

As if summoned there was a howl. They all looked up, expect the brat who took the opportunity to kick Kisame in the gut hard enough to sent him back a few feet. An orange body fell from the sky as if launched, glowing with chakra and kunai drawn. A man in black followed on the back of a hawk, diving towards Kisame with something like anger on his face.

“Shit! The nine-tails!” Kisame cursed. 

He leapt of the way as the orange kid hit the ground, making a crater not half as impressive as the brats. The orange kid was cloaked in bubbling red chakra that felt like violence and bloodlust in pure chakra form. The dark-haired boy following him was wreathed in killing-intent and his hands sparked with lightening as his eyes locked on Kisame. 

“Look me up if you ever feel interested,” Kisame shot at the Brat before he high tailed it out of there, the pair of men hot on his heels. 

The Brat watched them vanish before sheathing her knives and turning to face Zabuza. Zabuza had managed to haul himself to his feet, still careful to keep Haku covered from where the boy was still laying stunned. She came towards him and Zabuza rolled his shoulders to make his posture straighter. She breezed past him like he wasn’t even there to kneel beside Haku and Zabuza’s hand twitched automatically towards his blade. He made himself stop when her hands lit with signature green healing chakra. 

Zabuza watched as the brat gently ran her palms across Haku’s chest, listening as his ribs popped back in place. 

“You became a healer?” Zabuza asked, a bit of disbelief in his tone as he took in the med kit strapped to her spine, attached to her obi. 

Not that she hadn’t shown phenomenal chakra control even as a kid, but he just really couldn’t picture the feral thing sitting calmly in a hospital healing people and studying. All he could see her was on the battle-field. He remembered the sight of her, dripping in blood, torn up and collared, with her chain choking the life out of that puke-stain Yoshiro, her pupil’s blown wide with glee and adrenaline. The feral violent little thing didn’t fit his image of a healer. 

“I wanted to know how to heal people so I could better know how to break them apart,” she said simply as she cradled Haku’s head in green glowing fingers.

Zabuza grunted and watched as Haku’s eyes got less glazed and more coherent before they fluttered shut.

“He’s asleep,” she said when she stood, “Best he sleep that healing off. That was a lot of strain for his body so quickly.”

Zabuza said nothing as he watched her. She finally turned to face him fully and he let his eyes slide across her pink hair streaked with sweat and her green eyes wide with fading adrenaline. She’d definitely grown he noted, remembering when she’d reached just above his hip. Now she reached his chin and her face had lost that stubborn baby fat that had made her look so young. 

“Have you worked up my apology yet?” she asked him.

He scowled at her, sneering just enough to show his teeth. She bared hers back in what people might generously call a grin as she got in his space. They didn’t break eye contact as she squared up against him and didn’t act like he had six inches and probably a hundred pounds on her. Just as stubborn as ever then. 

“For what?” he spat, “For this?”

He reached up and she didn’t stop him even as her eyes gleamed. He tangled his fingers in her hair and it instantly reminded me of when she’d been tiny and trembling and he’d held her head up like this, forcing her not to cower and lower her eyes like a dog. 

“Like that,” she said, “God you were such an asshole.”

“I saved you life.”

“And you were an asshole about it.”

“I could have let you die, brat.”

“Could have. Could have also been nicer about it.”

They stared at one another in stalemate. He twisted his fingers idly in her hair, noting it was much nicer not all tangled and matted with blood. 

“Sorry,” he finally grunted through his grit teeth because she wasn’t wrong. 

All those years ago, with a tiny trembling girl at his feet, he’d made a snap decision. He’d drawn his line in the sand and it was apparently at letting little girls get raped to death by worthless civilian thugs. He’d bumbled his way through it, not used to acting like an even half-way decent person and he knew he’d absolutely terrified the wits out of the kid. Knew he’d made her think he himself was going to fuck her himself. But he didn’t know how to be a good person, didn’t know how to be a nice person, and so he’d simply told himself he was doing enough by making sure she wasn’t going to die. 

She looked at him now with bright green eyes, layers of muscle on her frame, and calluses on her hands from her knives, and Zabuza was sort of…relieved. She’d lived and he hadn’t terrified her so bad she’d become a wreck. 

“Thank you,” she said to him, “For everything.”

He grunted and tried to ignore how the sincerity in her voice made him fidget. She reached up and rested a hand over the one he had tangled in her hair. And then she leaned towards him and Zabuza didn’t move. The press of her lips against his was a jolt down his spine, her lips rough and dry but absolutely sure. 

“Thank you,” she repeated into his mouth. 

“I didn’t save you for your gratitude, brat,” he murmured against her heat.

She cut sharp green eyes up at him and then she smiled, and it was not a baring of her teeth, it was not a challenge.

“I know.”

She kissed him again and he let his fingers tighten, fisting in her hair to pull her up roughly. This kiss he made harsh, made unflinching, and she met him. Their teeth clashed briefly and he felt the way she arched from the pain of the grip he had on her hair. She grabbed him by the back of his neck and forced him lower so she didn’t have to strain, panting into his mouth as he took and took and took.”

“Hey Fucker!”

Zabuza pulled back, hand already going for his sword as he snarled a challenge. The orange-clad boy of earlier was stomping towards him, red chakra absent but a look of anger on his face. The shadowed boy followed, looking deadly with how cold his expression was. 

“Don’t fucking touch her,” Orange growled menacingly, “We already owe you a beat down for how you treated her!”

Zabuza sneered at them but let his fingers slip out of the brat’s hair as she stepped around him to face her teammates.

“Where’s Kisame?” she asked flatly.

“Gone,” Orange huffed, eyes never leaving Zabuza, “Ran away.”

“Stop that,” she hissed at them as their killing-intent started to rise around them. 

Zabuza crouched briefly to grab Haku, tucking him over his shoulder, hand already gripping his sword as he kept his eye on the pair of young men. The Brat glared them down but they refused to stop glowering death at Zabuza.

“Look me up sometime,” she whispered to Zabuza, turning her back on her team to give him a feral look.

She pressed something discreetly into his hand and he grunted, letting his eyes linger on her lips.

“Sure thing, brat.”

“My name,” she said, tone soft but firm, gazing at him with glinting green eyes, “Is Haruno Sakura.”

“Sakura,” he said, letting the syllables of her name trip out of her tongue, “Who the fuck names their pink hair kid Sakura?”

She laughed, sharp and surprised and not at all offended. Orange and Shadow growled at him, their expressions promising swift death, but brat (Sakura) looked at him and he couldn’t look away as she bared her teeth at him, something like glee and victory in her so bright green eyes. 

“Thank you,” she said.

“Fuck you.”

“Maybe one day,” she leered, “Now fuck off Zabuza.”

He obeyed, mostly because the other two were fizzling with chakra waiting to be unleashed and Haku was still out on his shoulder and he was still hurting from his fight with Kisame. Not because she’d told him too. Definitely not. In his hand was a crumbled note.

_Yume Villager on the ninth. It’s my turn to teach you how to beg._

He tucked it in his pocket and when Haku woke up, confused, he refused to explain the faint hint of a flush decorating his face. 

.--.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can't tell me that if Zabuza had survived he wouldn't have had a few epic fights with his old pal Kisame. 
> 
> THE END ... of this arc.


End file.
